If you’ve ever tried to paint a wood surface, only to have the paint chip and peel off shortly after, you know how frustrating it can be. In this blog post, we’ll share tips on removing paint from a wood surface without damaging the wood beneath.
Why remove the old coating at all
The paint on your home will start to crack and fade over time. It makes the surface look bad. In this case, you can remove the old paint from the tree at home. Hard materials like cement and concrete are easier to remove paint than soft surfaces like wood. Wood can easily be damaged.
Two ways to remove old house paint from wood are mechanical and chemical. It is important to find out what will be the best way to remove the paint without damaging the natural material before starting the repair.
We remove the old coating in these cases:
- The surface is bumpy because it was painted multiple times.
- The base has blisters and cracks.
- The old coating was a different texture and color.
Mechanical way to remove the old coating
Using a metal scraper or spatula if the coating is already cracked and easily comes off. Areas that couldn’t be cleaned by hand are finished with a power tool. For example, you can remove the paint from a wooden door, but the coating must be even. This method is unsuitable for removing a thick cracked layer or treating hard-to-reach places. Excellent manual mechanical cleaning is good for water emulsion and latex paints.
Thermal method
A heat gun for paint removal is a good choice. The paint is heated under the influence of a heat gun. It becomes soft. After that, you can easily remove the coating with a spatula. If the tool temperature is set too high, the base of the tree may be damaged. Different types of wood have their limits of thermal exposure.
This method of cleaning old paint on your own from wood is suitable for processing even the oldest paintwork materials. You can remove the layer without experience with electric tools. The working technique is suitable for cleaning hard-to-reach elements or large objects.
After a heat gun and a spatula, you should use sandpaper. It will help to eliminate minor defects. Next, wood is treated with a solvent or alcohol. It will help prepare the surface for decoration.
Errors when working with wood
Keep in mind the most common mistakes people make when trying to get paint off wood:
- Pour the chemical composition over the entire area to be treated. But, first, test it on a small area.
- Cleaning wood with coarse abrasive nozzles or hard brushes. All this will lead to the destruction of the rock.
- If you expose the solvent to the surface for too long, it will damage the product. No matter how expensive foreign funds are, they do not provide 100% coverage protection. Therefore, leaving the reagent for more than 1-2 hours is not recommended.
- The thermal method of stripping old paint from wood can overheat the base and create a fire hazard.
- When working with solvents, it is important to use plastic containers. Some compounds can easily damage the container.
Chemical way to remove the old coating
It is more effective to remove paint from surfaces like metals and plastics. But you need to be careful because some chemicals can damage the wood. The most common solvents used are:
- Methylene chloride is a strong solvent that works well on multiple layers of paint.
- Naphtha is a less strong solvent that works best on one or two layers of paint.
- Acetone is the weakest solvent and is only effective on fresh paint.
- You can buy these solvents at any hardware store.
To remove the paint, follow these steps:
- Start by sanding the surface to create a smooth surface.
- Apply the solvent to a clean cloth and rub it onto the paint in a circular motion.
- Wipe off the dissolved paint with another clean cloth.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all the paint is removed.
- Wash the area with soap and water to remove any residual paint or solvent. Allow the area to dry completely before repainting.
Important recommendations
To quickly peel off old paint from wood, you should consider the following tips in your work:
- Do not press the wooden base with a lot of force. You can only do this using the machine.
- Always wear a respirator, gloves, and goggles before removing old paint from wood at home.
- Using a plastic film, you can protect surrounding objects, decor, and floors with walls.
- Do not heat the wooden surface in the area where electrical appliances and wiring are located.
- After you have used the solvent, wash the wood with clean water.
- If a person comes in contact with a dangerous or poisonous substance, it is important to clean the area with plenty of water.
- To ensure the old composition surface is covered, apply several layers of acrylic paint. The work surface should be sanded and primed before starting to avoid any problems.
- The base is cleaned before using the water-based emulsion. It makes sure that it is even and smooth.
- Experts recommend priming the old layer to remove defects so the new surface will have a firm grip.
